Cathedral, also known as Cathedral: The Game of the Mediaeval City, is a two-player abstract strategy game designed by Robert Moore and first published in 1979, in which dark and light factions vie for territorial supremacy within the bounds of a medieval city. Players play pieces to capture territory on a game board, attempting to place all or most of their game pieces while preventing their opponent from doing likewise. The game's copyright is currently owned by Chrisbo I.P. Holdings Limited in New Zealand.
History
Cathedral was invented between 1962 and 1979 by Robert Moore, a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Inspiration for the game was provided by Christchurch Cathedral and its environs in Christchurch, New Zealand. From the air, Moore was fascinated by the way the cathedral and neighbouring buildings intricately fit together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
In 1979 Moore presented a prototype version to Brightway Products, a New Zealand wooden toy and game company. Two versions of the game were originally created: a "formal piece" using three-dimensional wooden models of mediaeval buildings and towers, and an "abstract piece" consisting of two-dimensional squares. The formal piece proved more popular and is the only version produced today. Wolfgang Baur, in the book Family Games: The 100 Best, described the game as "board gaming nirvana" because of "its speed, its simplicity, and the sheer joy of placing that one, perfect piece that seals your opponent's doom." In a review for Issue #43 of Games, senior editor R. Wayne Schmittberger described Cathedral as "an exceptional game for both its visual beauty and intriguing gameplay." In a brief review for Issue #3, Abstract Strategy compared the game to Pentominoes and Go, praising its medieval city theme and "the attractiveness of its playing equipment."
In 1983, Cathedral was the recipient of the Designmark Award.